


A Warning Sign

by xtremeroswellian



Series: Better Days [11]
Category: Jericho
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship, Guilt, Hugging, Mentions of past sexual assault, PTSD, Regret, So much angst, coverups, hangovers, vomitting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:00:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24261712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: Heather deals with the fallout of her drunken confession to Jake.
Relationships: Heather Lisinski & Edward Beck, Heather Lisinski & Eric Green, Heather Lisinski & Gail Green, Heather Lisinski & Stanley Richmond, Jake Green/Heather Lisinski, Mimi Clark/Stanley Richmond
Series: Better Days [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693354
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	A Warning Sign

Someone was pounding a nail into the back of her skull, slow and steady and the bright light didn't make her feel any better. She moaned and pressed a hand to her head painfully. 

A shadow suddenly fell over her and began murmuring soft words of reassurance. 

"Oh God my head," she mumbled. 

"Here," Jake whispered. 

She felt his arm slide around her shoulders as he helped her sit up a little, pressing a couple of bills--aspirin she assumed--against her lips. She swallowed them down dry, groaning. 

"Need water?" 

"No....ugh." She opened her eyes and closed them quickly as the room began to spin. 

"Gonna be sick?" 

"It's very possible." 

"Can you hold yourself up for a minute?" 

Heather drew in a shaky breath and braced her hands against the sofa. "I think so." 

"Okay," he stood up and rushed into the kitchen, grabbing the bucket he had gotten out just in case. Coming back into the room, he handed the bucket to her and sat down behind her once more. 

She clutched onto it tightly, letting her head rest against the edge of it. "Tequila...is...evil." 

"Yeah...it's a bitch." 

"I'm never drinking again," she mumbled, keeping her eyes shut tightly. 

"That's what we all say..." He trailed off, slightly amused. 

"Yeah, but I really, really mean it..." 

He pulled her hair back for her. "I bet you do." 

She drew in a slow breath and then exhaled just as slowly, repeating the actions a couple of times. 

"Better?" He asked after a moment. 

"I think as long as I don't move I'll be all right." 

He bit his lip. "Good luck with that." 

A faint, twisted smile touched her lips. "Do me a favor?" 

"No, I won't shoot you." 

She groaned. 

"It'll pass," he assured her. 

"Soon, right?" 

"Hate to break it to you, but tequila hangovers are among the worst." 

"I'm dumb," she mumbled, her stomach lurching. 

"No you're not." 

Before she could respond, her grip on the bucket tightened as she threw up. 

He winced, wishing he could take her hangover upon himself. Instead, he settled for rubbing her back in soothing circles. 

Heather recovered a few moments later, her body shuddering from the force. 

Gail slowly came down the steps, grimacing in sympathy at the sight she found on the sofa. 

"I'll go get you some water," he said softly. 

She nodded slightly, not moving. 

He stood, careful not to move the couch too much. In the kitchen, he grabbed a glass and filled it with cold water, grapping a washcloth as well, he wet that and began to return to the front room. 

Gail moved and carefully sat down on the other side of Heather, putting an arm around her. She glanced up at Jake as he sat down once more, as well. 

He handed the glass of water to Heather. "Take slow sips." 

She lifted her head a little and did as instructed, keeping her eyes shut. 

Wordlessly, Gail took the bucket for her and headed to the bathroom to clean it out. 

"This is humiliating," she said under her breath. 

"This is nothing," he put the cloth on the back of her neck. "Shoulda seen me in my younger years..." 

Heather managed a faint smile. "Wish I had." 

"You're lucky you didn't. It wasn't very pretty when I woke up with hangovers." 

"And you did this more than once?" 

He shrugged. "Slow learner." 

She chuckled involuntarily, then groaned. "Tell me...does the world always spin this fast?" 

"Keep your head down," he advised, smiling sympathetically at her. 

She rested her head on her knees, praying she wouldn't throw up all over Mrs. Green's nice living room rug." 

"Deep breath. Hold it for a second, then let it out slowly." 

Heather followed his suggestions and found the nausea easing a little. She bit her lip and shifted so she was lying down once more, shutting her eyes. 

"Blanket?" 

"I think I'm okay," she murmured. 

"Okay," he sat down on the coffee table, putting his elbows on his knees. 

"Have you talked to Stanley?" 

"Not lately..." 

"You should...call and check on them," she murmured, curling up on the sofa. 

"They're fine." 

"I wanna be sure," she whispered. 

"Later." 

She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. 

"When you're feeling more like yourself we'll go over, okay?" He said quietly. 

"Okay," she said in agreement. 

"Get some rest," he stood. "I'll be back." 

"Where you going?" There was a hint of uneasiness in her voice. 

"I'll be just outside," he said, pointing to the front door. 

"Okay." 

At her okay, he tiptoed lightly out onto the porch and took a deep breath, trying to clear his head. 

Heather lay still on the sofa, not even noticing when Gail returned to the room a few moments later. 

She looked around. "Where's Jake?" 

"Went to get some air." 

"Oh," she cast a worried glance toward the door. 

"Is he okay? He's acting kind of...strange," she murmured. 

Gail sighed. "I don't know. I'm worried." 

She winced a little as her stomach did a flip-flop. "Because of what happened yesterday?" 

"That could be part of it, I'm really not sure, honey." 

Heather wanted nothing more than to get off the sofa and head out to the porch to see what was going on with Jake, but she was afraid to move. 

"You stay there, sweetie. I'll go talk to him," Gail said gently. 

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Green." 

"For what?" 

"For nearly throwing up on your couch." 

She chuckled. "Let me tell you, you aren't the first one to try that." 

A faint smile touched her lips. "So I've heard." 

"You sit tight. I'll be back, okay?" 

"Okay." 

Jake was so far into his thoughts, that he didn't hear Gail come outside, and didn't respond when she stood next to him. 

Gail gazed at him for a moment, then looked out across the street. "You know it wasn't your fault." 

He blinked slowly and looked at her. "What?" 

"What's happened isn't your fault, Jake." 

He looked down and began to trace circles on the banister. "Sure." 

"Is isn't. It's not anymore your fault than it is hers or Stanley or Eric's." 

"I shouldn't have let her go." 

Gail drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "You couldn't have made her stay." 

"There would have been a way." 

She rested a hand on his arm. "I don't think she remembers telling us." 

He let out a breath. "I figured." 

"We'll get through this." 

"I hope so." 

"We will, Jake. Heather's strong, and so is this family." 

"Yeah," he looked back out over his front yard and couldn't help but believe her. 

* * * 

Hours later, Heather managed to pry herself off the sofa and take a hot shower, which helped soothe her nerves and her headache. She emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a white terrycloth robe, her hair damp, surprise registering on her face as she found herself face-to-face with Jake. 

"Oh...ah...hi," he stammered. 

"Hi," she said, quickly lifting her hand to the robe to make sure it was completely closed. 

"Sorry," he murmured, stepping to the side so she could get through. 

"No, it's...it's fine. You're fine," she responded self-consciously, stepping away from him. 

"I'll see you downstairs..." He trailed off, needlessly pointing to the stairs. 

Heather nodded slightly, eyebrows furrowing as she glanced at him. Something was off with him but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. She turned and headed slowly down the hall to Jake's room, biting her lip as she pulled on a pair of warm flannel pajamas.

Walking downstairs, he waited in silence for her on the couch, staring at his hands. 

She descended the stairs a few minutes later, slowly, grimacing a little and vowing again never to drink alcohol. Especially not tequila. 

"You look better," he said as she came into the front room. 

"Less like death warmed over?" she joked, raking a hand through her still-wet hair. 

He smiled a little. "Something like that." 

"Good to know." She let out a breath and moved over to the sofa, sitting down on the opposite end. 

"Still never going to drink alcohol?" 

"Definitely not." 

"You'll change your mind sooner or later." 

"Ah, don't bet on it. I hate throwing up." 

He nodded. "Ditto." 

She shut her eyes, laying her head back against the sofa. 

He took a slow breath. "What do you remember about last night?" 

"Well, I remember thinking it was a great idea to go to Bailey's and order tequila," she responded, groaning a little. "I have a really, really fuzzy memory of being carried out of the bar...and then waking up here with the worst headache I've ever had." 

"Sounds about right," he said, a hint of amusement mixed with sadness was in his tone. 

"And I'm just guessing here, but...you carried me out of there?" 

"I did." 

"Jake Green saves the day again." Her voice was soft, only a hint of teasing there. 

"Looks like it," he looked down at the sofa. 

"Thanks," she said quietly. "And sorry you had to carry me. I promise I will never get that obliterated again." 

He shrugged. "It was no problem." 

Heather opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. "What's wrong, Jake?" 

"Nothing...just have a lot on my mind." 

She knew that feeling all too well. "Sometimes it helps to talk about it." 

"Sometimes," he echoed. 

She sat up and offered him a warm smile. "Well, you've got my undivided attention." 

He shook his head, not thinking that she was ready to know the information he had revealed to him. "It's okay." 

Her smile slipped a little and she looked down at the floor. "Yeah, okay." Heather slowly rose to her feet. 

"Sorry," he murmured. 

"Don't be." Heather shrugged a little, trying to push away the hurt and confusion she felt at the small rejection. It wasn't like they were best friends. She was just a guest in his house and they were working together to take down Ravenwood and the new government. "Your mom at the med center?" 

"Yeah. She wanted to get something done instead of sitting around here all day." 

She nodded slightly, glancing toward the kitchen. "You want some lunch? I'll make you something before I head out." 

He frowned. "Where are you going?" 

Heather didn't look at him. "To make myself useful. Thought I'd check on Stanley and Bonnie and Mimi and then head to the mine for awhile. See if they need any help."   
He stood. "I'll drive you." 

"I'm sure Jericho's sheriff has more important things to do than chauffeur me around," she joked, heading into the kitchen. 

He followed her. "You aren't in any condition to drive." 

"Not drunk anymore," she pointed out. "Plus I don't have a car...what did happen to Charlotte?" she asked uncertainly, turning to look at him. 

He rubbed his neck. "She...gave up the ghost." 

For a brief moment, Heather looked crushed. She recovered quickly. "Figured that'd happen. Where is she? Maybe I can work on her." 

He bit his lip. 

She grimaced a little. "Nevermind." 

"If it makes you feel better, I tried to save it..." 

"I know it's stupid to get attached to a vehicle like that," she murmured, shrugging a little. 

He walked over, hugging her tightly. "No it's not." 

Heather was a little surprised by the hug, but didn't push him away. She shut her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him in return. 

"Let me take you," he said quietly. 

"Only if you want to. It wouldn't kill me to walk." Her voice was soft. 

"I want to," he said, voice firm. "And with Ravenwood's rule about being alone..." 

"Right," she murmured, slowly pulling away from him. 

"Just don't want to see you hurt," he touched her face lightly. 

Heather met his eyes, suddenly remembering their first kiss, right before he headed off to Rogue River. She swallowed hard, lifting her hand to cover his as it remained on her cheek. 

He leaned in slowly, hesitantly and brushed his lips against hers. 

Her eyes drifted shut at the gentle pressure and she shifted a little closer to him, raising her other hand to his neck as she returned the kiss. 

With her response to his kiss, his own eyes drifted shut and for just that moment, everything was all right in the world. 

When the kiss ended, she swallowed hard, leaning her forehead against his, eyes still closed. 

"So," he licked his lips. "How about that lunch?" 

"Sure. What do you want?" 

"Anything." 

"Easy to please," she joked, slowly pulling away from him and letting her hand drop from his neck. 

He smiled warmly. "I'm a guy. What more do you want from me?" 

A real grin spread across her face as she headed toward the refrigerator. 

He sat down on the stool, putting his chin in his hands. 

"Grilled cheese?" 

"Sounds delicious." 

Heather smiled as she set about fixing him a sandwich. 

Jake's gaze never left her as she bustled around the kitchen. When she set the sandwich in front of him, he smiled. "Thanks." 

"Welcome." 

"You gonna eat?" He asked. 

"Ah no. Gonna pass." 

He gave her a sympathetic look. "Give it a few more hours." 

Heather nodded a little. 

Finishing the sandwich quickly, he put his plate onto the sink. Turning, he folded his arms and leaned against the counter. "Ready to go?" 

She looked down at her flannel pajamas. "Give me five minutes." 

He laughed softly. "Stanley won't care." 

Her cheeks turned pink. "I care." She shook her head a little and made a beeline for the stairs. 

He watched her go, eyes glittering with amusement. 

* * * 

Heather gazed out the window as Jake drove them toward the Richmond farm. She chewed on her lower lip without thinking about it, a dazed expression on her face. When a passing car backfired suddenly, she flinched. 

He glanced at her. "You okay?" 

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." She forced herself to draw in a deep breath and let it out slowly. 

Reaching across the seat, he grabbed her hand and held it tightly. 

For just a moment, her guard fell as she looked at him and everything she'd been holding in, and holding back for so long flickered over her eyes. 

The amount of emotions flickering through her eyes made him pull over to the side of the rode and turn fully to her. "Come here." 

She shuddered as he pulled her into his arms and she rested her head against his shoulder, holding onto him tightly. 

He rocked back and forth gently. "Let it out," he whispered. 

"It sounded like a gunshot. It was like--" 

"I know," he murmured. 

Heather felt his arms tighten around her just a little and her hands curled into the material of his lightweight jacket. 

He stroked her hair, saying nothing. 

"I'm sorry, Jake." Her voice was barely audible. 

"For what?" 

"With everything that's going on the last thing you need is an overly-emotional freak to deal with." 

He sighed. "Well, you're none of those." 

Heather drew in a slow breath, reluctantly pulling away from him and tucking some hair behind her ears. 

"You feel better?" 

"Yeah." She nodded slightly, managing a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. 

He brushed her cheek softly with his hand. "Still want to go to Stanley's?" 

"Yeah. I wanna make sure they're all okay." 

"Okay." 

She watched as he turned the engine back on and pulled the truck onto the road once more. The rest of the drive was silent, but a little more relaxed. 

When they reached Stanley's house, Jake was surprised to see Stanley and Mimi out on the front porch. Getting out of the car, Jake began to walk toward them. "What you doing out here?" 

"Just enjoying the day," Mimi said, her gaze shifting to Heather. 

Stanley nodded in agreement. "Hi guys." 

"Hey." Heather's voice was quiet as she looked at them a bit hesitantly. 

Jake put his arm around her and led her up the steps. "We just wanted to check up on you." 

"That was sweet." Mimi smiled a bit, glancing up at Stanley. 

He barely managed a smile. "Thanks." 

She could feel the unspoken tension and bit her lip. "Bonnie okay?" 

"Yeah. Gail picked her up, they're both at the med center." 

"Oh." Heather fell silent, looking down at the floor. 

"You guys wanna come in? There's fresh tea." Mimi's voice was just a tad too cheerful. 

"Sure," Jake said before anyone could protest. 

"Great." She headed into the house. 

"Why don't you head in with Mimi?" Jake suggested quietly. 

Heather glanced at Stanley, who wouldn't meet her eyes and her stomach tightened a little. "Yeah, okay," she murmured, heading into the house and wrapping her arms around herself. 

Jake turned to Stanley after she left. "You're quiet." 

"Yeah." He looked down for a moment, then out across the fields. 

"You tell Mimi?" 

"I had to," he said quietly. 

He sat down next to him. "How'd she react?" 

He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "Shocked. Horrified." 

Jake looked down. "Heather doesn't know." 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean that she doesn't remember what she told me, and she doesn't know about the station incident." 

Stanley turned his head to stare at Jake, shock obvious on his face. "What, was she drunk?" 

Jake's expression turned stricken. "Yeah, she was." 

His eyes widened a little more, if that was possible. "Heather was drunk?" He rose to his feet and pointed toward the house. "Heather Lisinski? The minister's daughter?" 

"Yes, Stanley." 

He stared at Jake a moment longer, then glanced toward the door, still looking shocked. "God." 

He sighed. "Yeah." 

Stanley suddenly had the urge for a drink himself. He looked back out over the fields. 

"I don't think we should tell her," Jake said after a moment. 

He turned his head to look back at his oldest friend. "What? Are you serious?" There was a moment of silence. "Jake, she's gonna find out we know. It's only a matter of time." 

"And I'd rather it be later." 

He shut his eyes, shaking his head just a little. "I get what you're saying, but..." 

"Stanley, she has enough on her plate right now without finding out that we were involved in a murder in close proximity to Ravenwood." 

He was quiet for a moment. "All right." 

"I'm sorry about Mimi." 

Stanley shook his head a little. "It's better she knows. I can't keep things like that from her." 

Jake nodded a little. "Yeah." 

At that moment the screen door opened and Heather stepped out, carrying a glass of iced tea. "Here," she said, handing it to Jake. 

He took it and smiled. "Thanks." 

"Welcome," she said softly, glancing at Stanley. 

"I'm gonna...go...help Mimi," Stanley murmured, walking inside. 

Heather shut her eyes, the light breeze tousling her hair. 

He took a long drink from the glass before looking at Heather. "Tastes good." 

She didn't look at him. "I think I'm gonna...go for a walk." 

"Heather--" 

"I really just need to be alone for awhile." Her voice was quiet. 

He took a step back. "Of course." 

She slowly headed off the porch and across the yard without looking back. 

Shoulders slumping, Jake ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He felt like a failure to her. And he didn't know how to fix her. 

* * * 

Heather spent the rest of the day at the mine, her head aching dully. Jake had been more than a little reluctant to just drop her off but she'd assured him she'd be fine. She needed to do something to occupy her mind and avoid thinking about how bad everything had gotten. She took a break three and a half hours into the work, leaning back against the wall and looking around at the familiar faces that seemed to blur together. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, shutting her eyes for a moment. In the short few weeks since she'd been back, she'd managed to lose both Emily and Stanley as friends. She wondered how long it would be before she lost what was left of her life. 

Someone sat down beside her and she tensed immediately, opening her eyes and turning her head to see Gray Anderson sitting there. She didn't smile because she wasn't glad to see him. As far as she was concerned, Gray had been mostly responsible for Mr. Rinny's death months ago. 

"Ms. Lisinski," he murmured. 

"Surprised to see you here." 

"Gotta do something to keep busy." 

"Being mayor isn't keeping you busy?" 

"With Ravenwood in charge..." He shook his head. 

Heather tensed again and looked away. "Right." 

"What brings you here?" 

"Gotta do something to keep busy," she responded. 

"Surprised you aren't with Jake." 

She slowly turned her head to look at him. "Why's that?" 

He shrugged. "He won't let you out of his sight." 

Heather studied him for a moment. "Well right now Constantino and his deputies are in lockup so I guess I'm relatively safe." 

He paused. "You haven't heard?" 

"Heard what?" 

"There was an incident down at the station yesterday..." 

Her stomach knotted. "Did they escape?" 

"No, far different than that." 

"Then what--" 

"One of the shooters...Hanson, I think was his name. He was killed. Two guns were found in the cell but Constantino says they didn't do it." 

The color drained from her face and she stood up abruptly. 

He stared at her in confusion. "I thought for sure Jake would have said something." 

"Jake knows?" Her voice was barely a whisper. 

He bit his lip, not knowing if he should tell her more. 

Her heart beat quickly in her chest and without waiting for a response, she turned and headed up the old stairs two at a time.   
\---

Jake was back at the station, pacing nervously in his office. He was worried about Heather, knowing that leaving her at the mine was probably a bad idea. Four hours of on and off pacing had him making up his mind and grabbing his keys to go down there. As he was about to walk out, Heather stormed in. "Heather--" 

She shut the door behind her none-too-gently, her eyes stormy with emotions. "Why would you keep that from me?" 

He looked at her, confused. "What are you talking about?" 

"Gray said one of the deputies from New Bern was killed here last night!" 

His face paled. "I was going to tell you--" 

"It just slipped your mind?" 

"No!" 

She stared at him, shaking her head a little. "Then what?" 

"I didn't want to tell you until things had started to settle down," he said quietly. 

"Jake, things may *never* settle down!" 

"It wasn't something you needed to know at the time!" 

Heather drew back, feeling like she'd been slapped. "The hell it wasn't," she whispered. 

"You had a hangover and you were already dealing with other shit." 

"Who isn't?" she challenged. 

"It was too much," he protested, voice lowering. 

"Too much for what? Me to handle? I'm a big girl, Jake!" 

"I know you are! But you know what? You're dealing with _too much_ and you know what else? You hardly let me in!" 

"Well, that goes both ways, doesn't it?" There was a hint of bitterness in her voice. "How many times have I tried to get you to talk to me and you just avoid it? Do you not trust me?" 

"I do trust you," his gaze darkened. "I didn't want to add more to your plate." 

Heather blinked back the tears she felt building, refusing to cry in front of him. "Maybe you should let me decide what my plate can handle and what it can't." 

"I was just trying to protect you." 

"I don't need you to protect me, Jake," she said harshly. 

"Is that so?" He folded his arms. 

"Yeah, it is." Her eyes were dark. "I've been taking care of myself for a long time now." 

"Sorry for trying to look out for you then." 

"Fine," she said tersely. "Now what happened? Gray said two guns were found in the cell but Constantino claimed they weren't from New Bern." 

He looked down. "One of them was mine." 

Heather stared at him in confusion. "Yours." 

"Yeah. The other one was Eric's." 

She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "You went after Constantino here in the station?" 

"It wasn't Constantino we were after," he said, not meeting her gaze. 

The sinking feeling turned to a block of ice. "Then..." 

"Hanson. We were all after Hanson." 

The anger seeped out of her, replaced by cold, hard dread. "Why?" Her voice was barely audible. 

He sighed. "You told me something last night." 

Heather shut her eyes, humiliation and guilt sweeping over her. 

"You said that while you were in New Bern...he...did things to you." 

An involuntary shudder worked its way down her spine and she turned away so he couldn't see her face. 

Guilt flowed through him. "I couldn't let him live." 

"Jake." 

"What?" 

"You shouldn't have done that. Ravenwood--" 

"I didn't. Eric did." 

_That_ startled her. She turned to face him once more, her expression unreadable. "What?" 

He took a breath. "It was so sudden. I didn't register that he had done it until after it was all over and Stanley was pushing us out the door." 

Suddenly feeling light-headed, Heather sat down at his desk, her face drained of color. 

"This is why I didn't want to tell you," he said quietly. 

She leaned over and rested her face in her hands, taking a few deep breaths. "So you're all going to be suspects now." 

"Not yet." 

"How do you figure?" she whispered. 

"Constantino only said the guns weren't from New Bern." 

Somehow that didn't make her feel any better. "Jake...these guys aren't stupid. They have all the necessary equipment with them to do fingerprinting." 

"I know." 

Heather swallowed hard, still not looking up. "Did anyone else see the three of you?" 

"Beck," he said truthfully. 

She fell silent for a long moment, then slowly rose to her feet. 

"Where are you going?" 

Heather turned and headed for the door, feeling numb all over. "To talk to Major Beck." Her voice was quiet. 

Jake watched her go, figuring resistance would be futile if he tried to stop her. 

* * * 

Heather did the best she could to steel her nerves as she knocked lightly on Major Beck's door. 

"Come in," he called. 

She opened the door and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her once more as her gaze landed upon him. 

"What can I do for you, Ms. Lisinski?" He leaned back in his chair. 

Heather sat down slowly in the chair across from his desk. "I just heard there was a shooting last night." 

"There was." 

"Any idea what happened?" 

"We're still investigating," he said slowly. 

"But you must have a theory," she pressed, her voice calm, though her face was pale. 

"I have a few suspects in mind." 

Heather gazed at him intently, trying to read his expression. 

Do you have information for me?" He raised an eyebrow. 

She dropped her gaze to the floor and remained silent. 

He leaned forward, putting his arms on his desk. "I need to know anything you know." 

"Assuming I know anything about the incident, and I'm not saying that I do, would you be able to take into consideration the context in which it happened?" 

"I could possibly, if I knew the whole story." 

"And if you could...could other...individuals with certain power over this town be left out of it?" 

"Heather," he sighed. "Why are you being so cryptic?" 

"Because it's a necessity," she said quietly. 

"I can only leave Ravenwood out of this for so long." 

Heather bit her lip. 

"But if you don't tell me what you know, I will be forced to hand over the names of Jake Green, Eric Green, and Stanley Richmond to Ravenwood." 

She flinched and looked up at him. "And if I tell you what I know you won't?" 

"For the time being," he said quietly. 

"I need to know that I can trust you because lives are at stake and I don't trust anyone else in any position of power." Her voice was quiet and she gazed at him imploringly. 

"You can trust me," he promised. 

She couldn't help but believe him. All along her instincts had told her that Beck was a good man. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, her stomach knotting. "I accidentally...told Jake something that happened in New Bern that he didn't know about." 

"Uh huh.." 

"About Deputy Hanson." 

"So he came back to the station." 

"And Eric and Stanley were here." 

"He got them in on it?" 

"I don't think he meant to. They were just here." 

Kate: He shook his head. "So he took them to the holding block with him and then shot Deputy Hanson?" 

"No," Heather said quickly. "Jake just went to confront him." 

"Then who shot him?" 

"Does it really matter?" Her voice was quiet. "It's the motive that's the part that matters."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. "Then I have no choice but to think that Jake shot him." 

She slowly rose to her feet. "You'd be wrong." 

"You've given me no other information to make me think otherwise." 

Heather drew in a breath and looked toward the window. "Things in New Bern were bad, Major Beck." 

"I'm aware of that." 

"It got worse when Gray sent the men from Jericho to help build the windmills." Her voice was quiet. 

"I know they took everyone from Jericho hostage," he stood, walking over to her side. 

She swallowed hard. "That's not all that happened." 

He gazed at her. "What else?" 

"Deputy Hanson never made life pleasant in the factory. But...when the men from Jericho arrived, it got much worse." She bit her lip, staring out the window. "He knew I was friends with Stanley and Eric, and that I had more ties in Jericho than I did in New Bern." 

"So he used that against you," he concluded. 

"Yes," she said quietly. "He told me if I didn't do what he wanted, he'd kill them all." 

"And that's what you told Jake?" 

"Apparently. I don't remember it. I was..." She winced. "A little drunk." 

"Ah." 

"Stanley and Eric...found out what happened. That Hanson had used them against me to..." She shuddered involuntarily. 

"That's why they got involved," he ran a hand down his face. 

"Because of me," she whispered, looking down at the floor. 

"Look," he took a breath. "I'll sit on this for as long as I can, but eventually, Ravenwood is going to find out." 

Heather turned to look at him, her eyes swirling with emotions. "Not necessarily." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Have you done the fingerprinting on weapons?" 

He bit his lip. "You're not gonna like my answer." 

"You have." 

"I have." 

"And have the results come back yet?" 

"They should be back by now but I haven't seen them." 

"Who's doing the tests?" 

"J and R," he said quietly. 

"So in theory...if the person who pulled the trigger...had never been arrested or in any sort of trouble with the law, their fingerprints wouldn't be known already. Right?" She gazed at him. 

"Theoretically, yes." 

Heather relaxed a little. 

"You better hope J and R doesn't find anything," he said softly. 

"I guess I'll cross that bridge when it comes to that," she said just as quietly. 

He nodded slightly. 

"Thank you for your help." She slowly headed for the door. 

"No problem," he walked back over to his desk and sat down once more. 

She paused and turned to look at him once more. "You're a good man, Major Beck. I'm glad you're here." 

He gave her a sad smile. "Thank you." 

Heather nodded slightly, then ducked her head and stepped out of his office. 

Jake was leaning against the wall, his arms folded in wait. When she came out of Beck's office, he pushed off from the wall. "Look Heather, I'm sorry--" 

The look she gave him shut him up instantly. "Let's get out of here," she said in a clipped tone. 

"Okay," he muttered, pulling out his keys and bowing his head. 

Heather led the way out of the station and toward his car. She didn't even realize she was trembling until she slid into the passenger seat and tried to fasten her seatbelt. 

Seeing her struggle with trying to fasten the belt, Jake's hand covered her trembling one and guided the clip to the lock. 

She shut her eyes for a moment, drawing in a ragged breath. "Thanks." 

"Welcome," he said quietly. 

"Do you know anyone inside J and R?" 

"No." 

Heather was silent for a moment. 

"Why?" 

"Because that's where the forensic evidence is." 

"Dammit," he whispered. 

"So we need to find someone on the inside." 

He nodded. "But who would know someone?" 

"Guess we'd better find out," Heather said grimly. 

\----

Heather was perched on the edge of the sofa, staring nervously at her hands when the doorbell rang. She felt more than saw Jake move from his spot in the recliner to answer the door. 

"Hey Eric, Stanley," he stepped back to let the two men in. 

"Jake." Eric nodded at him slightly and he drew in a breath as Mary, Mimi and Bonnie followed them inside. 

He nodded at the two women and motioned to the front room. "We're in here." 

Mimi drew in a breath and looked across the room at Heather, then up at Stanley. She gave his hand a light squeeze. 

Stanley smiled down at her, gripping her hand tightly, leading her to the couch. 

Heather was a little surprised when Stanley chose to sit down right beside her, Mimi on his other side and Bonnie beside her. She glanced up at Eric and Mary, who both remained standing. Eric's hands were tucked into his pockets, his expression unreadable. 

Jake took a breath. "Well...everyone knows why we're here..." 

"So Major Beck knows what happened?" Mary's voice was quiet, uncertain. 

His gaze flickered briefly over to Heather. "Sort of." 

"He knows the why but not the who," she said, not looking at anyone. 

"But that won't remain that way for long." 

"They'd already sent out the guns to J and R for forensic testing." 

Jake nodded, glancing at Mimi and Stanley. "We need someone on the inside to get rid of the evidence." 

Mimi glanced at him, then at Stanley. "I just took a job with J and R." Her voice was quiet. 

"But can you even get close to that kind of stuff?" Stanley asked quietly. 

"I'll find a way." Her voice was determined. 

His eyes clouded with worry. "I don't want you to get hurt." 

Mimi gazed at him intently. "I won't. I'll be careful. And if I can't do it, we'll come up with another way." 

"Promise?" 

"I promise." 

Bonnie looked just as worried as Stanley, though she remained silent. 

"What is our backup plan?" Mary asked quietly. 

"I know someone at J and R," Eric said, gazing at her. 

"You do?" She looked surprised. 

He nodded. "Her name's Trish." 

"You know Trish?" Stanley looked up, faint surprise on his face. 

Eric turned to him, surprise registering on his own face. "You do too?" 

"Girl gets around," Mimi said wryly, not sounding terribly thrilled. 

Jake looked between them. "It helps prove she's more friend than enemy." 

Bonnie signed something to Stanley, then looked at Jake. 

"She and Bonnie have bonded. Trish knows sign language." A faint smile touched his lips. 

"That's good," Jake said, smiling slightly. "Then there's our plan B." 

Nodding a little, Eric shifted his gaze to Heather, swallowing hard. 

Jake gazed at her as well. "You okay with this?" 

"I'm okay with whatever keeps the three of you away from Ravenwood." 

He could hear the distance and slight annoyance in her tone and nodded. "Okay." 

She didn't look at anyone as she rose to her feet, heading toward the kitchen. "Anyone want some water?" 

Eric shook his head. "I'm okay." 

Stanley watched her go. "She's not," he said inaudibly. He gave Mimi's hand a light squeeze and stood up. 

"Where you going?" She asked. 

He nodded toward the kitchen slightly. "Talk to Heather." 

"Okay," she murmured. 

* * * 

She stood at the kitchen sink, staring out the window with dark eyes. She heard the footfall behind her but didn't turn around. "Jake, I really don't wanna--" 

"It's Stanley," he said quietly, making his way over to her side. 

Heather started slightly and looked up, surprised. 

"Came to talk." 

She drew in a breath and looked out the window once more. "About the weather?" 

"You're not okay," he murmured. 

Heather was quiet for a moment. "I think at this point...okay is relative, don't you think?" She glanced up at him. 

His eyes were sad as he gazed back. "Heather." 

"I'm alive," she said quietly. "That's...more than can be said for some people." She dropped her gaze. 

"You gotta stop beating yourself up about Ted," he shook his head. "It wasn't your fault." 

"Not just Ted," she said softly. "Sixty-five people from this town died in the war with New Bern. And Ravenwood killed God only knows how many in Rogue River and New Bern, and who knows where else....all things considered…I don't have a right to complain." 

He put an arm around her and gave her a gentle hug. "I know how you feel." 

Heather leaned her head against him, closing her eyes momentarily. 

"And...I know it doesn't seem like it, but Jake's really trying." 

"I know he is," she whispered, exhaling slowly. 

"I just don't want you guys to...lose each other," Stanley admitted. 

She swallowed hard and looked up at him, her eyes sad. "It just seems like something new is always coming up." 

He let out a slow breath. "I know." 

Heather bit her lip. "I thought you were mad at me earlier." Her voice was very soft. 

He shook his head. "Nope." 

She gazed up at him. "That's good because...you and Emily are my best friends and...she kinda hates me right now." 

He frowned. "No...she doesn't..." 

Her eyes were sad. "She hasn't spoken to me in almost two weeks, Stanley." 

"I talked to her a couple days ago...she wanted to know how you were..." 

"Really?" A spark of hope glittered in Heather's eyes. 

He nodded. "Yeah." 

She managed a tiny smile and looked out the window. 

"I know things don't look too hopeful right now, but things are gonna get better." 

She nodded a little, leaning her head against his arm once more. 

After a few minutes of silence between them, he looked down at her. "Want to go back in the other room?" 

"Actually...would you mind asking Eric to come in here?" Her voice was quiet. 

"I can do that." 

Heather gave him a quick hug. "Thanks, Stanley." 

"No problem," he released her and went back into the other room. Moments later, Eric appeared. 

Heather met his gaze, her heart heavy. "Hey." 

"Hey," he said quietly. 

Silence fell between them for a long moment, then she drew in a breath. "I'm sorry you found out." Her voice was quiet. 

He looked away. "I'm glad I did." 

"Why, Eric?" 

"Because." 

Heather shook her head a little, not understanding. 

"It just...wasn't right...not knowing." 

She looked at the floor for a moment. *

"That bastard needed to be punished," he said darkly. 

She exhaled slowly. "Can't disagree with you there." 

"So you don't have to be sorry." 

"I'm just sorry because of the trouble it could cause. And there's been enough trouble because of me." 

He shrugged. "I don't care." 

"I do." Her voice was quiet. 

"Care more about yourself." 

Heather's eyes watered and she blinked back the tears, moving over to him and winding her arms around him in a gentle hug. 

He was a little stunned by the motion. It took him a moment to respond to her hug. 

She was faintly surprised when he rested his chin on her shoulder, pulling her closer. "It's okay, Eric." 

"Not yet," he murmured. 

Heather pulled away a little to look at him, seeing the guilt in his eyes. "Eric..." 

He looked down. "It'll only be okay when Ravenwood leaves." 

She drew in a breath and rested a hand on his arm. 

He looked at her hand, then up at her. "You're gonna be okay though." 

"So are you." Her voice was quiet, firm. 

"Yeah, lets hope so." 

Heather nodded slightly and offered him a small smile. 

He gave her a small smile in return. 

She shifted her gaze to the door when she spotted Jake step into the room, looking uncertain. 

"Just...making sure everything was okay..." He said hesitantly. "I'll go back in the other room now.." 

"It's okay, Jake." Her voice was soft. 

He stopped. "I don't want to interrupt." 

"We're done," Eric said quietly, turning to look at his brother. "We should get going anyway. It's almost seven." 

He nodded. "Take Stanley, Mimi, and Bonnie with you." 

"Sure thing." He nodded, glanced at Heather and gave her arm a gentle squeeze before heading away. 

After Eric left, an awkward silence hung in the air between Jake and her. He shifted slightly. "I'll stay down here tonight." 

Heather gazed at him, then shook her head slowly. "Actually, I was thinking maybe...you could stay with me?" she asked softly. 

He bit his lip. "I don't know..." 

She swallowed hard, feeling cold all over. "Oh. Okay. I uh...I'll see you in the morning then." She moved past him, avoiding his eyes. 

He put his hand on her arm. "You were just so mad at me today..." 

Heather couldn't bring herself to look at him. "It's okay, Jake." 

"If you want me to stay...I will." 

She was dangerously close to crying. She just wanted to get away, away from the pity, away from the feeling that their relationship would now be solely based on Jake trying to protect her from ever getting hurt again. Away from the idea that he saw her differently now that he knew what happened in New Bern. "I'm gonna...go shower." 

Jake swore he felt his heart actually fracture inside of him as she distanced herself once more. "Right...um, see you in the morning." 

"Sure," she whispered almost inaudibly, heading away from him without looking back.


End file.
